PocketBet’s Betting Rules
1. Introduction
1.1. PocketBet reserves the right to amend these rules as it sees fit. The rules in place at the time of a bet being placed will govern the bet during its lifetime. Changes to these rules will be notified to customers via their registered email or website pop-up.
1.2. PocketBet uses a third-party event information and in-play data provider. As a result, PocketBet accepts no responsibility for errors in this information.
1.3. If there are discrepancies between these Betting Rules and PocketBet’s Terms and Conditions, the Terms and Conditions will take precedence.
1.4. PocketBet is a betting intermediary. It is not a bookmaker and does not itself place or lay any bets on this website. PocketBet provides a platform through which users can back or lay bets offered by third party Market Makers. PocketBet acts solely as a facilitator; it does not act as a counterparty to any bets made on this website.
2. Commission
2.1. From 1st August 2023, Standard Customers will pay a rate of commission equal to 5% of their net winnings in each market.
2.2. Subscribers of Outplayed.com may opt into a reduced 0% commission rate from their Outplayed.com members area, subject to 0% Commission Offer Terms.
2.3. Market Makers pay a negotiated percentage of their profit to PocketBet as a premium charge.
3. Customer responsibility and queries
3.1 Customers are responsible for reading these Betting Rules prior to placing a bet. By placing a bet, you are accepting these rules. Please contact support@pocketbet.com if you have any questions.
3.2. If a customer has a complaint please refer to our Complaints policy.
4. Settlement rules
4.1. PocketBet will settle bets as quickly as possible once the outcome has been determined. Due to our reliance on third-party providers for data this may take longer than anticipated.
4.2 Where possible, PocketBet will wait for preliminary confirmation of the result prior to settling bets. In extreme cases, PocketBet may refer to another independent third-party to confirm a result.
4.3. If there is uncertainty on a result, PocketBet reserves the right to delay settlement until such a time as there is clarity. Should this clarity not come, PocketBet reserve the right to cancel and void the markets affected.
4.4. PocketBet reserves the right to re-settle or void bets if information suggests cheating or other rule violations have occurred.
4.5. PocketBet reserves the right to re-settle or void bets that have been settled incorrectly through any error. This error can be technical or human error.
4.6. Any change in settlement may lead to changes in your account balance to reflect these alterations.
5. Voiding bets rules
5.1. PocketBet retains the right to void bets that it deems are potentially fraudulent or that break the rules outlined here and in the Terms and Conditions.
5.2. PocketBet also has an Erroneous Bet Policy which may see bets voided. See section 8 for details.
5.3. Technical or human errors on PocketBet’s part may also see bets voided.
5.4. PocketBet reserve the right to recover funds paid out in error.
5.5. PocketBet will also void bets in certain case as defined by the relevant Sport Specific Betting Rules
6. Exceptional circumstances
The following rules apply to open bets, unless the Sport Specific Betting Rules say otherwise:
6.1. Abandonment - If the event does not conclude within thirty-six (36) hours of the scheduled start time, all bets are voided.
6.2. Cancellations – If an event is cancelled, bets will be voided.
6.3. Postponements - If the event does not start within thirty-six (36) hours of the originally scheduled start time, all bets are voided.
6.4. Change of Opponents – If an opponent changes, all bets are cancelled. Note this applies to the team opponent themselves, not a specific player within a team.
6.5. Change of Venue – If a venue is changed, all bets are voided and PocketBet will try to create a new event market.
6.6. Periods of Time – If an event is cut short, it will be considered abandoned and subject to condition 5.1.
7. In-play betting rules
7.1. PocketBet will try reflect in-play status as accurately as possible. PocketBet rely on third-party providers to indicate that an event is underway or ended. Given this, it is important that users manage their bets at all times.
7.2. We attempt to suspend and halt markets at the end of an event. We cannot guarantee that the timings of these suspensions and halts will be accurate, therefore it is important that users manage their bets at all times.
7.3. Third parties confirm starts and end times, but occasionally we may rely on other sources for this information.
7.4. PocketBet aims to suspend markets at the end of each event. You will then await settlement. Delays in third-party data feeds may delay this process.
7.5. Betting on the outcome of an event after the event has finished is not allowed. PocketBet reserves the right to cancel both sides of such bets and then apply the normal settlement process.
7.6 Markets will be subject to an in-play delay of between five (5) and eight (8) seconds depending on the event.
7.7. You cannot cancel an order that is being delayed.
7.8. PocketBet will suspend a market on a material event occurring (e.g. goal, penalty, card, VAR). However, PocketBet cannot guarantee timely suspension and the delay is put in place to help protect users. It is important that users manage their bets at all times.
7.9. Whilst not the case currently, in the future API users may be subject to different delays. For example, APIs that provide new liquidity to the market and are not taking existing liquidity, may not subject to the same in-play delay.
8. Other rules
8.1. As per section 10 of the Terms and Conditions, PocketBet cannot accept liability for any mistake, misprint, malfunction caused by PocketBets’s, third-party’s, or affiliates’ software.
8.2. PocketBet reserves the right to correct any clear errors, as laid out in the Erroneous Bet Policy.
8.3. PocketBet reserves the right to exercise judgement should something happen outside the scope of these rules.
9. Erroneous bets policy
Referring to Errors, Malfunctions, and Interruptions
9.1. PocketBet makes every effort to ensure that no errors are made in prices offered or bets accepted. However, human and/or systems error may occasionally result in errors.
9.2. In this clause we set out a description of the things that can go wrong and the rights that we have in such events. You should be aware however that this clause does not override or cancel out any rights that you may have under consumer laws and regulations and we do not intend that they should.
9.3. Below are some key definitions to help you understand this clause:
A "Malfunction" refers to where an automated process fails to operate as designed or intended, for example where a piece of computer software produces a deviation from its intended performance specifications or parameters, or where two pieces of software fail to interface or communicate with each other in the manner intended or designed, in either case so as to produce a result which is not the result that was intended or designed. These malfunctions may or may not be apparent to us or to You and they may only come to light as and when settlement instructions, game outcomes, winnings or cashouts are investigated and analysed retrospectively.
An "Error" refers to a mistake or error that is not exclusively technical, for example the mistaken posting of incorrect odds, the offer of incorrect prices or terms for participation in a promotion or gambling opportunity. Errors can arise from human mistakes, administrative, operational or systems failures and combinations of all of these. For example, a bet might be offered mistakenly at a price that is substantially out of the market, or "each way" is offered in a market when the pricing of the market clearly indicates that it should have been "win only", or a promotion designed to offer a £5 return might mistakenly advertise a £50 return or the pay-tables advertised for a product may mistakenly fail to reflect the true payment configuration of the product.
An "Interruption" refers to an interruption in a gambling transaction for any reason, for example an interruption caused by the failure of the internet or connectivity, or severe latency in communications, or technical failure due to some disaster or unforeseen event.
9.4. Where any of the above occur, we will deal with them as described below and it is important that you understand and agree to the following before you use the Services.
Malfunctions
9.5. If as a result of a Malfunction, your account is credited with winnings that you would not have received were it not for that Malfunction, we will have the right to void the relevant transaction and withhold the relevant winnings. This applies even if the relevant gambling product could have produced the same or similar amount of winnings without the intervention of the Malfunction and it applies whether the Malfunction was apparent to you or to us or not. If we have paid out on any such Bets or gaming activities and/or if you have withdrawn any such winnings, such amounts shall be deemed to be held by you on trust for us and shall be immediately repaid to us when a demand for payment is made by us to you.
9.6. Where any Malfunction is or becomes apparent or obvious to you or you suspect that a Malfunction may be occurring, you agree that you will cease your use of the relevant Service(s) immediately, and will report it to us immediately.
Errors
9.7. In the event of an Error, the same applies as for Malfunctions, as set out above. For sports betting markets only, in the case of any errors in prices transmitted (including so-called 'palpable', 'obvious', or 'blatant' errors, for example where the price being displayed is materially/significantly different from those available in the general market and/or the price is clearly incorrect, depending on all of the circumstances), PocketBet may settle Bets at the correct price at the time of acceptance (or the Starting Price in the case of horse-racing, whichever is the greater), or void the bets or the market entirely.
9.8. Where any Error is or becomes apparent or obvious to you or you suspect that an Error may be occurring, you agree that you will cease your use of the relevant Service(s) immediately, and will report it to us immediately.
Interruptions
9.9. Our priority is to ensure that we deal with Interruptions in a way that is fair and does not systematically disadvantage our customers.
9.10. In relation to betting: we are entitled to suspend betting markets, void bets and return stakes to customers.
10. Fraudulent bets policy
10.1. All customer offers are limited to one per person. If PocketBet has reasonable grounds to suspect that a bonus or offer is being claimed by or for the benefit of the same person more than once or by a group of people then it may withdraw the availability of any offer or all offers to that customer or group of customers and/or void any bet funded by the bonus or offer and remove any winnings from such bet.
10.2. If any bonus abuse or bonus related fraudulent activity occurs, we reserve the right to stop any further bonuses, promotions and/or offers and remove the bonus balance from these and/or linked accounts. Bonus abuse is defined as;
10.3. We also have a zero-tolerance policy on match fixing or activity that damages the integrity of sport. Where an event is found to have suspicion of match fixing or illegal activity influencing results, PocketBet will investigate any related activity on our site and take action on accounts found to be intentionally profiting from illegal activity or match fixing.
11. Back and Lay Bets
11.1. PocketBet allows users to toggle between "Back Bets" and "Lay Bets". The user can switch modes at any time.
11.2. When the customer places a "Back" bet, they are betting on that selection to win or that outcome to occur. This is the most common type of betting seen across standard bookmakers. The customer is risking their Stake to get a potential return. The total return can be calculated as Stake * Odds. In the case of a winning bet, the customer's profit is their total return minus their original stake.
11.3. When the customer places a "Lay" bet, they are betting on that selection not to win or that outcome not to occur. On a lay bet, the Stake is the amount that the customer will win if the selection does not win or the outcome does not occur. If the selection does win or the outcomes does occur, the customer will lose their Liability. Liability can be calculated as Stake * (Odds - 1).
11.4. Winnings are rounded down to the nearest whole penny. Winnings of £10.157 would be rounded down to £10.15. Losses are rounded up to the nearest whole penny. A loss of £10.157 would be rounded up to £10.16.
12. Cashouts
12.1. The Cashout feature is offered as a convenience only.
12.2. Where a cashout is offered, it is offered based on the current available price at that particular moment. If the price moves against you during the time it takes you to confirm the cashout, it will fail and we will prompt you to try again.
12.3. Using the cash out feature does not close your open bets, it simply places an additional bet in order to hedge your current position. This will reduce your exposure to the minimum possible at the time, or lock in a profit if the odds are favourable to you.
12.4. When you click the cashout button, we will show you the bet that the cashout will place in order to achieve the desired outcome. It will show you what your current exposure is, and what your exposure will be after the cash out is completed. If this is a positive number, that means you'll lock in a profit.
12.5. Cashout is only offered if the market is open, if there are prices available for the selection on the relevant bet side, if you have an open position on that selection, and if your exposure is greater than £0.10.
12.6. To determine the size of the required bet, we look at each of your bets on the selection and we calculate stake * odds. We then sum all of those results. If the number is a positive number, we divide that by the current available lay odds to determine the lay stake needed to minimise your exposure. If the number is a negative number, we divide that by the current available back odds to get the back stake that needs to be plcaed.
12.7. In scenarios where the cashout locks in a profit, the figure shown does not include any commission charges.
Version 1.2 Last modified: 27th July 2023